Minor League Report.

AAA: SWB rained out

AA: Trenton rained out.

High A: Tampa (63-71) split a DH.

Reg. sched. game: Lost 4-0, getting just 2 hits. SS Diego Castillo’s 3 errors led to 3 unearned runs.

Makeup of 8/27 rainout: Won 5-3. Castillo 2 hits, RBI. 1B Steven Sensley 2 hits, 2 RBI.

Low A: Charleston (69-66) lost 8-5. LF Canaan Smith 2 hits, .306. RF Josh Stowers 2 RBI. C Eduardo Navas 3 hits, 2 RBI. 2 solo HR.

 

Prospects heading for the Arizona Fall League.

From MLB.com

Yankees (Surprise): Daniel Bies, RHP; Glenn Otto, RHP; Donny Sands, C; Josh Stowers, OF; Brandon Wagner, 1B

Acquired from the Mariners in an offshoot of the Sonny Gray trade in January, Stowers has a chance to have four average or better tools, with his arm the lone exception. Otto has had difficulty staying healthy but can reach 97 mph and devastate hitters with his curveball when he’s at 100 percent.

Baseball on Lockout. Former OF Demeter Dies.

The collective bargaining agreement has expired, and baseball is now on a lockout.

Meanwhile, Don Demeter has passed away at the age of 86. The OF/1B/3B played for the Dodgers (1956, 1958-1961), Phillies (1961-1963), Tigers (1964-1966), Red Sox (1966-1967) and Indians (1967).

He won a WS ring with the Dodgers in 1959, a season in which he hit .256-18-70, OPS+ 87 as their primary CF. He went 3 for 12 in the WS.

Demeter got MVP consideration in 1962 and 1963. His best season was 1962, when he hit .307-29-107, OPS+ 137 for the Phils. He finished 12th in MVP voting and led the majors with 11 SF. In 1963 he hit .258-22-83, OPS+ 112 and finished 21st in MVP voting. He then was traded to the Tigers with Jack Hamilton for Jim Bunning and Gus Triandos. Bunning, of course, was an ace for the Phils from 1964-1967.

In mid-1966 he was traded to the Red Sox, with the Tigers getting Earl Wilson in the package. Wilson would win a ring with the 1968 Tigers.

Lastly, in 1967, Demeter was dealt to Cleveland, with the Red Sox getting Gary Bell, and Bell helped Boston to the 1967 pennant. So Demeter was involved in three key deals of the 1960s.

Demeter’s 162 g. average was .265-24-82, OPS+ 108.

Yankees news; Former CYA Hoyt dies.

All quiet in Yankeeland but some ex-Yankees found new homes.

Darren O’Day==Braves
Clint Frazier—Cubs
Rougned Odor—Orioles
Phil Nevin—now 3B coach for Angels.

Chris Gittens was released and is going to Japan.

With the catching market thin, the Yankees did tender Gary Sanchez a contract. A couple of potential catching targets dried up. Florida traded Jorge Alfaro to San Diego, and Yan Gomes signed a 2 yr, $13MM deal with the Cubs.

Former CYA winner LaMarr Hoyt died at the age of 66. Hoyt won the 1983 CYA with the White Sox, going 24-10, 3.66 ERA+ 115 in leading them to the AL West crown. He also finished 13th in MVP voting that year. He led the majors in wins.

From Wikipedia: He pitched a complete game victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the first game of the 1983 American League Championship Series, giving up only one run on five hits with no walks.

Hoyt had led the league in wins with 19 in 1982 (19-15), but led the majors in losses in 1984, going 13-18. After spending 1979-1984 with the White Sox, Hoyt went to San Diego, where he was 16-8 in 1985, and the All-Star game MVP, but (from Wikipedia, below) Hoyt frittered away his career.

Following the 1985 season, he was arrested twice within a month (between January and February 1986) on drug-possession charges, checking into a rehabilitation program nine days after the second arrest.
This prevented him from playing most of spring training. He pitched through an injury to his rotator cuff rather than risk a surgery that could end his career, and he logged an 8–11 won-loss record with a 5.15 ERA.

(This was his last year as a MLB player).

Barely a month after the season ended, Hoyt was arrested again for drug possession when he tried to bring 500 pills through the San Ysidro Port of Entry on the U.S.–Mexico border.^[3][10] He was sentenced to 45 days in jail on December 16, 1986, and suspended by then-Commissioner Peter Ueberroth on February 25, 1987. An arbitrator reduced his suspension to sixty days in mid-June and ordered the Padres to reinstate him. Though the Padres still owed Hoyt $3 million under the terms of his contract, the team gave him his unconditional release the following day.^[3]

Later career
The White Sox gave him a second chance, signing him after his San Diego release and giving him time to get back into shape. A fourth arrest on drug charges in December 1987 ended his return.^[11] He was sentenced to one year in federal prison in January 1988.^[12] He began to serve his sentence at Federal Correctional Complex, Allenwood,^[13] and was transferred to a halfway house in Columbia in July.

Just 31, and just 3 years after his CYA winning season, Hoyt was done. Drugs ruined him.

Hoyt was originally drafted by the Yankees in 1973, and was traded to the White Sox in 1977 with Bob Polinsky, Oscar Gamble and $200,000 for Bucky Dent.

Hoyt was 98-68, 3.99 in his career, ERA+ 99. His 162 g. average was 16-11, 3.99.
.

Do Yanks have an offseason plan?

If the Yankees have a plan this off-season, I’d like to know what it is.

Now some contracts given out are a bit much. With the Yanks already paying a fortune for Stanton and Cole, and needing to save money for Judge down the line, they are probably watching their wallet.

But …. let’s go by position.

C. Rumor had them interested in Jacob Stallings, Gold Glove C for the Pirates. He was traded to Miami. Missed out there. So far stuck with the disappointing Sanchez and also Higashioka.

1B. Haven’t done anything with Voit. Rizzo still a free agent. Could always go with D.J. at 1B. Matt Olson of the A’s is on the Yanks’ radar but the A’s are asking for the moon and stars. I’d be shocked if Freddie Freeman doesn’t re-up with Atlanta.

SS. Need help here. Torres back at 2B. Urshela isn’t really a SS. I was hoping for Corey Seager. Lefty bat they needed, and a SS. Went to Texas. 10 years, $325MM. Ok. Yanks probably didn’t want to go that high. Especially with prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza a year or two away. They also didn’t want to go more than 7 years for Marcus Semien, who ALSO went to Texas (7 yr. $175MM). Now, Trevor Story is still out there. So is Javier Baez. So is Carlos Correa. All would be expensive, and in the case of Correa, maybe even more expensive than Seager (and Correa comes with that Houston baggage, plus he recently dissed Yankees’ legend Derek Jeter). But rumor has the Yanks looking at a stopgap until the kids are ready.

So then who? They could be looking at Andrelton Simmons. 32 year old. Righty bat. Doesn’t help, they need more lefty bats (see Seager). 4 time Gold Glove. Great. 3x MVP consideration, including a top 10 finish. Great. Hit .223-3-31, OPS+ 57 for Twins this year. That is horrid. 162 game average is .265-10-59, OPS+ 88. 100 is average. If Yanks sign him, Defense great. But teammates will have to pick up the slack and carry his bat.

Since Texas now has Seager and Semien, they Yanks may consider a trade for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 26, of Texas, who won a GG at 3B in 2020 before switching to SS. He hit .271-8-53 with 20 SB for Texas this year, OPS+ 85. Another righty bat. Sigh. His 162 g. average is .265-7-49, 16 SB, OPS+ 81. See Simmons, above. Same thing. Fine D. Other bats need to carry him.

Yet another rumor is trading with the Phillies to bring back the popular Didi Gregorius, especially if the Phils go big on a Story, Correa or Baez. The familiarity with Didi is a plus. Didi gives them the lefty bat they need. Didi, 32 in February, could be a one or two year stopgap. But he had a terrible 2021, hitting just .209-13-54, OPS+ 71 in 103 games, and his defense also took a step back. Didi’s 162 game average is .259-21-82, OPS+ 97. If he can get back to what he was, a better hitter than Simmons or Kiner-Falefa, and got MVP consideration twice, but you have to wonder if he is on the downside. If he can get back to where he was 2016-2018 when he averaged .277-24-81, OPS+ 108, a good stopgap until the kids are ready. But in the last three years, he has only it .237 with an OPS+ of 89. You wonder, as I stated, if he is on the downside.

The only move the Yanks have made to address the SS situation so far has been a very minor one. They signed Jose Peraza to a minor league deal. SS, 2B, LF. Another righty bat (Sigh). 27. Played for Dodgers 2015, Reds 2016-2019, Red Sox 2020 and Mets in 2021. Best year 2018 Reds. .288-14-58, 23 SB. OPS+ 98. For the Mets in 2021? .204-6-20, OPS+ 76. Not good. His 162 game average is .266-9-48, 21 SB. OPS+ 79. Once again, 100 is average. 79 is 21% below average.

Starting pitching. The Yanks offered Justin Verlander, 39 in February, a 1 year $25MM deal but Verlander got a 2nd year player option with Houston and decided to stay there. The Mets gave Max Scherzer, 37, a ridiculous 3 year, $130MM (!!!!!) deal. No way the Yanks were going $43.3MM a year! But they lost out on Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray, a lefty pitcher who got 5 years and $115MM from Seattle. He would have been nice slotted behind Cole (or since Ray won the CYA and Cole finished second, in FRONT of him). Another the Yanks didn’t get was Kevin Gausman, who got 5 year and $110 MM from Toronto. Yet another Jon Gray, who got 4 years and $56MM from Texas. Now maybe the Yanks didn’t want multi-year deals, but $25MM for 1 year of a 39 year old Verlander but not $22MM per or $23MM per for 5 years of Ray or Gausman? Or $14MM for 4 years of Jon (no, not Sonny) Gray? Even 3 years, $36MM for Anthony DeSclafani? 2 years, $20MM for Alex Wood? I don’t get it. It seems as if the Yanks could be looking at 4th place in their division if they don’t do something. So far they have done nothing, and remember—two less wins this year and the Yanks WOULD have finished 4th in the AL East. Meanwhile the Yanks lost Corey Kluber to a division rival—-Tampa Bay. Kluber only gave the Yanks 1/2 a season this year because of injury. Good, and a no-hitter before the injury, not so hot after it. Marcus Stroman apparently isn’t interested in the Yanks. Nor the Yanks in him. Carlos Rodon is still available. The lefty threw a no-no himself this year, turns 29 in just a few days, and was 13-5, 2.37 ERA+ 183 this season. He was an All-Star who finished 5th in CYA voting this year. He is 42-38, 3.79, ERA+ 110 in his career. Before this breakout year, he was just average, and an injury risk.

Now, if the Yanks were going to throw $25MM for 1 year of Verlander, guess who else is out there? Clayton Kershaw. 34 in March. Maybe not the dominating Kershaw anymore, but younger than Verlander, and even though Kershaw has had injury issues recently, he isn’t coming off TJ surgery like Verlander is. Kershaw went 10-8, 3.55, ERA+ 115 for the Dodgers this year. 3 CYA. 1 MVP. 8X All-Star. Pitching Triple Crown. Average 162 game season 17-8, 2.49. Look at that ERA again. 2.49. ERA+ 155. Now I don’t see the Dodgers wanting to lose Kershaw as they have lost Seager and Scherzer. But the Yanks took a chance on Kluber. They were thinking of Verlander. Both CYA winners coming off injuries. Kershaw is expected to do one of three things. Back to the Dodgers, home to Texas, or retire. But if the Yanks were going to risk chancing Kluber, then Verlander, Kershaw would have been an interesting gamble. Also interesting and still out there would be Zack Greinke, another former CYA winner. Grienke had some issues which makes me think he wouldn’t be a good fit in NY. 6x All-Star, 6x Gold Glove, the guy can even hit!, but at 38, has slowed down. 11-6, 4.16 in 2021, ERA+ 103.

But you wonder if they missed the boat on, say, Ray or Gausman. Some guys (Kershaw? Greinke?) could be like when the Yanks got Randy Johnson. Ok, but past his prime.

CF. The Yanks are looking for someone more reliable than injured Aaron Hicks. Starling Marte was out there but went to the Mets for 4 years and $78MM. The Yanks do have prospects like Everson Pereira and Jasson Dominguez here. As with SS, are they waiting for players they can control, hope those players are the real deal and therefore doing nothing now but biting the bullet? A couple of trade possibilities are Cedric Mullins of Baltimore (in division and won’t be cheap) and Bryan Reynolds of Pittburgh. Some teams have inquired to see if the Yanks would deal Joey Gallo, who struggled mightily with the Yanks last year.

So far, the Yanks have done nothing, and there isn’t even a ripple in the water. No rumors. For them so far, the hot stove is ice cold.

The natives are getting restless, especially after all the moves that have been made, especially by the cross-town Mets.

What exactly IS the Yankees mode of attack and when will they strike? WILL they strike?

UPDATE: SS Freddy Galvis , 32, switch-hitter, is still a free agent the Yanks may go after. Phillies, 2012-17, Padres 2018, Blue Jays 2019, Reds 2019-2020, Orioles and Phils 2021. HIt .242-14-40, OPS+ 91 in 2021. 162 game average .246-16-63, OPS+ 82. Another cheap stopgap.

Ex-MLB P Jerry Johnson passes away, age 77.

Jerry Johnson, a RHP for the Phillies (1968-1969), Cardinals (1970), Giants (1970-1972), Indians (1973), Astros (1974), Padres (1975-1976) and Blue Jays (1977) passed away November 15 at the age of 77.

Johnson’s best year was 1971, when he helped SF win the NL West, going 12-9, 2.97 with 18 saves. He finished 6th in CYA voting that year, and 18th for MVP.

For his career, he was 48-51, 4.31, ERA+ 84. 41 saves. His 162 g. average was 8-9, 4.31, 7 saves. He got into one postseason game, giving up 2 runs in 1 1/3 IP.

Vent #2. False trade rumors

Ok, I had a vent/rant in a previous post. I need to add one more.

Blogs that say “Yankees free agent target” when you KNOW that

a) he is not a target
b) the Yanks have no need/use for him
c) he isn’t that good.

Unless the guy is a LEGITIMATE target (see Gerrit Cole a few years ago) stop with the rumors and falsehoods.

It is bullshit. Until a deal is actually done, best to be quiet. And some of these “targets” you say? They are not on the Yankees’ radar and the column/blog only makes you look ridiculous.

There.

Judge, Cole make all-MLB team, Odor released.

As with Clint Frazier, mentioned in another blog post, Rougned Odor was released by the Yankees yesterday, several days after being dfa’d.

The All-MLB team was released yesterday, and Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole were each named to the first team.

Time to vent/rant. Tired of mediocrity being accepted.

Since when have we lowered our expectations so much? This is basically me venting or ranting.

The reason for it is in seeing people crying, bitching and moaning over the Yankees losing Velazquez, Odor and Wade.

Let’s get some things straight here.

Odor is a .234 career hitter. His OPS+ is 88 for his career. 100 is average. Since 2016, he is a .213 hitter with an OPS+ of 78. This past year he hit .202 for the Yankees. OPS+ 82.

Wade is a .212 career hitter. OPS+ 66 for his career.

Velazquez is a .184 career hitter. OPS+ 43.

You may like them. Now this isn’t personal, but they are BELOW AVERAGE hitters. Way below in the cases of Wade and Velazquez. As least Odor has some HR pop. The others don’t. Wade has speed, but you have to get on base to utilize it. .212 isn’t cutting it.

As we have seen in other areas of life (rea

d into that what you will), just supporting someone because you like them or because he’s “nice” doesn’t mean diddly squat if they CANNOT DO THE JOB.

Please stop rewarding incompetence and mediocrity.

And my alma mater just gave James Franklin a 10 year extension. I want to puke. 10 more years of 7-5, 8-4, blowing a big game, blowing 4th quarter leads, poor records against top teams (2-13 vs. Top 10 teams), esp. on the road, not knowing or utilizing a FULLBACK…. and he gets a 10 year extension. Outside of the Saquon Barkley/Trace McSorley years …

Whatever happened to having high standards?

I’ll get off my soapbox now. I’m pissed.

Update: Sorry, more. How long must this dangerous and ridiculous practice of storming the court or field continue before serious injuries/death occurs? Haven’t recent concert deaths taught people anything?

Frazier released; Ex-manager Virdon passes away at the age of 90.

Clint Frazier is now a free agent. With his health issues, it appears the Yanks couldn’t get anything for him in a trade, so Frazier, DFA’d a few days ago, was released.

One-time Yankees manager Bill Virdon has passed away at the age of 90. Virdon was a CF for St. Louis (1955-1956) and Pittsburgh (1956-1965, 1968). He won the ROY award with the Cardinals in 1955 when he hit .281-17-68, OPS+ 100. He got MVP consideration once, finishing 18th in 1956.

Virdon was the CF for the 1960 WS Champion Pirates. A year in which he hit .264-8-40, OPS+ 99. He won a Gold Glove award in 1962. Amazing when you consider some of the other outfielders in the league at the time. Namely Willie Mays and teammate Roberto Clemente.

More a defensive CF than offensive, Virdon’s 162 g. average was .267-9-51, OPS+ 89 (100 is average).

After the Pirates won the 1971 WS, manager Danny Murtaugh resigned for health reasons (only to return later) and Virdon took over. In 1972 Virdon managed the Pirates to the NL East title, but they lost the fifth and deciding game of the NLCS to the Reds in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch. When the Pirates struggled in 1973, Virdon was fired and replaced by Murtaugh.

The Yankees tried to hire Dick Williams as manager for 1974 after Williams left Oakland and long-time Yankees manager Ralph Houk resigned, but Charlie Finley held Williams to his contract and blocked the deal. The Yanks then got Virdon, and Virdon won Manager of the Year for leading the Yanks to an 89-73, second place finish, just two games behind Baltimore. In August 1975, with the Yanks just 53-51, Virdon was fired and replaced by Billy Martin. It was the first of Billy’s five terms as Yankees’ manager.

Virdon, as Yankees’ manager, never managed a game at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees played 1974 and 1975 at Shea Stadium since Yankee Stadium was being renovated.

Virdon was picked up by Houston shortly after the Yankees fired him. He stayed with Houston 1975-1982, leading the Astros to the 1980 NL West title. They lost a classic NLCS to the Phillies that year. The Astros made the strike-playoffs in 1981 but lost in the first round to the Dodgers.

Virdon managed the Expos in 1983 and most of 1984. He won 995 games as manager and lost 921, winning pct. .519, which translates to a 84-78 record over 162 games.

Dunham named to All-Arizona Fall League Team

From mlb.com. Yankees’ #24 ranked prospect, OF Elijah Dunham, named to All-Arizona Fall League Team.

OF: Elijah Dunham, Surprise (NYY No. 24)
The Yankees signed Dunham as a nondrafted free agent out of Indiana following the shortened 2020 Draft. This fall, he certainly looked like someone who should have gone in those five rounds. Dunham led the AFL with 11 stolen bases (in 12 attempts). In fact, he was one of only two players with at least 10 extra-base hits and five steals. Stott was the other. Dunham got it done at the plate with a .357/.465/.571 line, two homers, three triples and six doubles in 23 games. (14 RBI). He walked more times (14) than he struck out (10) over 101 plate appearances.

Dunham plays LF and 1B, and is a lefty hitter. He played 93 games between Low and High A this year, hitting .263-13-57 with 28 SB.

Other Yankees prospects in the AFL (Their team, Surprise Sagueros, won their division but lost the Championship game 6-0 to Mesa):

Austin Wells, C, #5 prospect: .344-2-18 in 18 games.
1B Andres Chaparro .275-3-15 in 20 games.

P Clay Aguilar 1-1, 10.24 6 G, 1 start
P Harold Cortijo 0-0, 5.00 8 G
P Zach Greene 0-1, 4.91 8 G

Yanks trade Wade; ex-all Star closer Doug Jones dies; 2022 HOF ballot

Having DFA’d Tyler Wade a few days ago, the Yankees traded the utilityman to the Angels today for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Since Clint Frazier and Rougned Odor were also DFA’d we will see what happens with them.

Doug Jones, a 5x All-closer closer who saved 303 games in his career, died at the age of 64 due to COVID symptoms. Jones pitched for the Brewers (1982), Indians (1986-1991), Astros (1992-1993), Phillies (1994), Orioles (1995), Cubs (1996), Brewers again (1996-1998), Indians again (1998), and A’s (1999-2000). He got MVP consideration 4x. He went 69-79 in his career with an ERA of 3.30 (ERA+ 129). His 162 game average was 6-6, 24 saves, 3.30.

The 2022 HOF ballot (writers, not Veterans’ committee) is out.

New to the ballot are: A-Rod (should get in on accomplishments, but steroids and the suspension will most surely keep him out). David Ortiz (will get in, but had steroid accusations himself and I wonder about that). Also Mark Teixeira, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Carl Crawford, Jake Peavy, Justin Morneau, Prince Fielder, Joe Nathan, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Papelbon, and A.J. Pierzynski. Some MVPs in that list, also some Cy Young Award winners, Teixeira over 400 HR but I don’t think any of them make it.

Returning are: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling, all for the last time. Steroids has kept Bonds and Clemens out while Schilling’s political views and outspokenness hasn’t helped his cause. Also back are Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Omar Vizquel (recent accusations against him won’t help him), Todd Helton, Gary Sheffield, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Manny Ramirez (steroids won’t help him), Sammy Sosa (steroids), Andy Pettitte (HGH hurts him, too), Mark Buehrle, Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, and Tim Hudson.

One crowded ballot.

The early baseball ballot has: Bill Dahlen, Lefty O’Doul, Allie Reynolds, George Scales, Vic Harris, Dick Redding, John Donaldson, Buck O’Neil, Bud Fowler and Grant Johnson. This Yankees fan would love the see “Superchief”, Allie Reynolds, get in. As for Dahlen, he is the best SS that is NOT in.

The Golden Days Ballot has: Ken Boyer, Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso, Billy Pierce, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Roger Maris, Maury Wills, Danny Murtaugh and Gil Hodges.